Hi, here's my new idea/invention/creation that I thought I'd share with everyone here

Baby Cube 2×2×2
(also known as the Plush Cube 2×2×2)

Video link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eCL4ogAzAU

The Baby Cube is a hand-made custom modification. It is a fully functional 2×2×2 soft and squishy plush cube. It is 10cm×10cm×10cm
and is surprisingly light for its size. Due to its bounciness and tolerance to punishment I have developed a habit of bouncing it off the wall

It can cut corners but this is actually more of a necessity than a feature since it would be difficult to know when it is slightly out of alignment
because of its soft and squishy exterior. Also, since I created this with very small children in mind, I didn't want to create a cube that was
difficult to turn as this would be an instant turn off for any child.

The cubies have a foam rubber core and are covered in felt. The felt covering is not removable, so I don't know if you could safely submerge
the Baby Cube in water for washing. I definitely wouldn't recommend it though since I imagine it would not be able to dry properly and
probably end up smelling like an old gym mat that has had several wet dogs sleeping on it and then left to dry in a dark cellar.

I'm actually thinking of selling the Baby Cube because (I hope) that having the experience of this first build behind me will mean that making
a second Baby Cube won't take as long for me as this one did. Also, since I'm thinking about selling this, I should mention that this cube
does have small parts which could pop out (although I haven't had this happen) and this would then pose a definite choking hazard to
unsupervised children.

Hope you guys like my idea!

Very nice idea: the first cube that won't kill you if you throw it at someone!



BTW, what is this made out of? an eastsheen?

Just added pictures^

Thanks, and the core is one of the better chinese made 2×2×2 cubes.. I think "LanLan" may have been the company name.

Great idea and I like the way it bounces off the wall!

Thanks.. the rubbery inside makes it bounce really well, kinda like a tennis ball

Before this puzzle I had never sewn before and I quickly came to realise that here are few things that I hate more than sitting hunched
over for hours at a sewing machine

I just checked and see that I have enough parts / material to make 2 more of these.. I think I will very likely make at least one for
auction some time in the next few months. I don't know if I can expect to be paid enough to make all the work worth it, but I guess
I'll find out after I've sold one

(edit: just to be safe - sorry if mentioning potential market-ish details in the "New Puzzles" section is frowned upon)

I need one! I love this, well done!

Alex

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A 3x3x3!

Agreed!

After that, a 7x7x7!

If he makes a 7x7x7, there's no need to make it rounded as it is already "pillowed".

Very nice idea!
Looking for it on Ebay!

Oh my God Mark!!! I laughed loudly when I saw it on the video! What a concept!!!
Any chance you could bring this at Orientation Day?




Pantazis

Clever idea, but I would want to throw it at someone to watch them bleed! Not bounce off them

I really like this puzzle, It is such a simple thing but so wonderfully fun looking. Great job.

hi Pantazis,
I'm not sure if I'll be coming to o-day yet.. but if I do I'll definitely bring it along

I've changed my design plan a little so that Baby Cube (v2) will look a little better,
but might be slightly more difficult to make.

This cube could be a present. I like it

That's a quote to remember.

Very clever! I love it!

Actually, this prototype Baby Cube will be a present; I'm giving it to a friend's baby (or possibly toddler, I don't know where the cutoff is)

Wish that I have some cubes like this

This takes twistypuzzles to another level yet again!

Or even cooler, a skewb!

It's been a long time since I've logged in here, better go catch up on what has been done!
Anyway, someone mailed me asking me about how I made the baby cube - so I whipped up a picture showing the steps.

I sewed the edges then turned it inside out (like you would when sewing a pillow or something). I glued the felt to the gym mat using some sort of bostic glue, I can't remember exactly what it was. Using glue ONLY on the edges that are hidden (the glue made the felt quite hard and not particularly fluffy where it soaked through).

If I ever made it again, I would shape the 3 felt pieces differently, such that the joins were diagonal. This would be to avoid different colours being partly visible on the inside edges of the cubes.

I know I'm wrong on this but this reminds me of the true comfy cube or the meaning of to word comfy cube.

WOW

While this is nice, I would still hesitate to give this to a small child (under 3) to play with. Children are quite good at tearing up things, and depending on the strength of the glue and the felt, the plush corners just might give the toddler sufficient leverage to rip the cube apart. Imagine pulling two adjacent plushies in opposite directions, for instance.

I will add one of the images to this article:
http://twistypuzzles.com/cgi-bin/puzzle.cgi?pkey=2251

This is cool. But I want to see a baby's reaction to this and play with it. The cube begs for it too.

I see a whole line of these. 2x2x2 through 7x7x7. Not for kids though, but for any one learning Fridich or Petrus or parity!

Buy one of these. Get you're frustration out of the way, then get the real thing!

Brilliant idea. My youngest daughter has a 2x2x2 and says she might have a go at this herself.
(which means bedazzling too of course )

Yeah, I did tell my friend to make sure that his kid didn't pop it open and choke on one of the tiny edge pieces (it was made with a 3x3x3). My friend responded with something like "don't worry, I don't have one of those kids that just picks up everything and tries to eat it". Hehe.



It was too big for a babyto handle! He loved the colours, and chucking it around the place though. His dad (one of my best friends) played with it though. I haven't asked, but I assume the boy is old enough to be able to handle it now